Oliver Blue and the School for Seers #3: The Obsidians by Morgan Rice

My name is Oliver, and I must travel through a dangerous portal in time to have any chance of saving Esther's life. The key to finishing the recipe of the Elixir can be found somewhere in Rome around the time of the Renaissance. However, Esther is quickly nearing death, and my brother Chris has shown up with other Obsidians to kill me.

What worked:
Oliver has been having issues with his brother Chris since the series began. Chris loved to bully Oliver at every opportunity, but his anger and fury have increased with every page. The second book saw Chris recruited by the Obsidians, a school using dark magic to upset history, and he was sent on a mission to kill Oliver. His failure has put Chris into an uncontrollable rage, and this book sees him traveling back in time to end Oliver’s life. Plus, Chris now has received training with his dark powers, so he rivals Oliver’s abilities and is even more formidable than before.
Each book in the series finds Oliver traveling back in time to maintain the integrity of historical events. This time, he goes back to meet Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo in order to finish the recipe for a magical Elixir, although his motivation is saving Esther from dying due to time-travel sickness. It just so happens that creating the Elixir and saving her life will also save history and the future existence of everyone on earth.
Oliver is always helped by other seers and minor characters from the past. Every moment in time has a school for seers, and they’re always stepping up to help Oliver uncover clues for his mission. The story reveals another famous person in history who was secretly a seer. Additionally, the author introduces the possibility that a seer might have been corrupted and is working with the Obsidians. Obviously, this adds another layer of conflict and doubt to Oliver’s quest, as he questions the motivations of some allies. By the way, the truth about Oliver’s parents is finally revealed.
What didn’t work as well:
This book is the third in the series, and you should read the previous two books first. They explain the seer powers and how things have evolved to this point. Many sequels in other series recap previous events from earlier books, but The Obsidians assumes readers already have important knowledge from the past.
The Final Verdict:
The search for an Elixir to save mankind. Readers should read the series from the beginning, as this book continues the tale. Lovers of history, science, and magic should enjoy this book.